Central Africa has approved 25 priority diseases for targeted prevention, detection, and response in a major step towards stronger epidemic preparedness.
Africa CDC in partnership with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) developed the list—covering threats such as viral hemorrhagic fevers, measles, dengue, cholera, yellow fever, mpox, and meningitis through a rigorous risk-ranking exercise.
Experts from nine African Union Member States in Central Africa, together with regional and international partners, assessed diseases using epidemiological, socio-economic, and operational criteria.
The rating exercise carefully considered factors including frequency of outbreaks and cross-border spread, severity, case fatality rates and inclusion in the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) list of notifiable diseases.
“This prioritization is a crucial step toward building a resilient health system that is ready to respond to emerging threats. It will enable more targeted planning, faster outbreak response, and more strategic resource allocation, while fostering regional coordination in the face of cross-border health risks,” said Dr. Brice Bicaba, Director of the Africa CDC Regional Coordinating Centre for Central Africa.
This risk-ranking exercise was first applied in 2024 by Africa CDC at continental level. Since then, it has shaped strategic public health preparedness and response initiatives. Building on this, Africa CDC is now focusing on regional-level risk assessments and prioritizations to ensure preparedness and response planning that is better adapted to the specific contexts of each region.
Given the evolving epidemiological landscape in Central Africa—characterized by a large population, the effects of climate change, and the persistent threat of emerging and re-emerging diseases—this regional prioritization exercise comes at a critical time in the region.
Beyond validation, representatives from the Ministries of Health strengthened their capacity to use the risk-ranking methodology and tool, developed through wide expert consultations across the continent. This tool has been applied to rank risks at both continental and regional levels.
“This workshop has helped enrich the evidence base on priority risks, capacity gaps, and the next steps needed to mitigate these risks. The ECDC looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Africa CDC in this area, which is a priority pillar of our partnership,” said Jonatan Suk, Head of the Health Security Projects Group on behalf of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Added to this prioritization, a regional roadmap was developed to strengthen early detection, rapid response, and multisectoral coordination in the face of epidemics. It includes: enhancing epidemiological surveillance and health monitoring; establishing cross-border coordination mechanisms; improving national diagnostic and case management capacities; and developing multisectoral preparedness plans aligned with national and regional contexts.
The meeting helped consolidate an integrated regional approach by facilitating and strengthening exchanges between Central African countries, regional health institutions, and partners. The classification of epidemic-prone diseases will now serve as a foundation for planning, resource mobilization, capacity allocation, and community engagement in the region.
Through this initiative, Central Africa is reinforcing its collective ability to anticipate, prevent, and contain epidemics, aligning with the objectives of the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Global Health Security Agenda.
